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Behind the Numbers presented by HUB International: Pelicans at Timberwolves (3/8/20)

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MINNEAPOLIS – A look at three key numbers related to Sunday’s game at Target Center between New Orleans and Minnesota (2:30 p.m. Central, Fox Sports New Orleans, ESPN New Orleans 100.3 FM):

273: Combined points scored by Minnesota and New Orleans in Tuesday’s matchup at the Smoothie King Center, a 139-134 final in favor of the Timberwolves. Although a non-overtime tally of that magnitude probably caused some people across the NBA to adjust their TV sets, wondering if it were a mistake, perhaps it should not have come as a huge surprise. Since the Feb. 6 trade deadline – when Minnesota almost completely overhauled its roster, bringing in multiple new starters – these are the two highest-scoring teams in the NBA. Over the past 12 games, New Orleans is putting up a league-high 121.2 points per game, the only team with higher offensive production than Minnesota (120.8) over the past month-plus. It certainly helps the numbers that Minnesota is playing at the NBA’s fastest pace since Feb. 6, at 106.29 possessions per 48 minutes. New Orleans is fourth in that category (104.59), just behind Milwaukee and Washington. Individually, Zion Williamson ranks No. 14 among all players (minimum eight games played) in scoring since the trade deadline, putting up 26.2 points per game. Minnesota’s Malik Beasley (22.0 ppg) and D’Angelo Russell (21.3) both rank in the top 35, as does New Orleans All-Star forward Brandon Ingram (21.0).

19: Different Minnesota players who’ve played against New Orleans this season, despite the teams only having two head-to-head meetings entering Sunday’s game. That number effectively demonstrates how much the Timberwolves have changed even since mid-December, when the Pelicans ended a 13-game losing streak by prevailing in downtown Minneapolis. Athletic wing Josh Okogie is the only member of the Wolves who has appeared in both games, averaging 7.0 points and 3.5 rebounds. Eleven different Timberwolves have compiled a double-digit scoring game against the Pelicans, with all of them doing so in just a single appearance. In its recent win at New Orleans, Minnesota got production from a multitude of weapons – eight different players posted double-digit points, while every one of those Wolves also drained at least one three-point basket.

78: Days since New Orleans lost a road game against a team that is currently under .500 record-wise. Sure, Minnesota upset NOLA on the latter’s home floor Tuesday, but the Pelicans have a pretty sterling resume lately of taking care of business in away games when matched up with struggling hosts. Since a frustrating four-point loss at Golden State’s Chase Center on Dec. 20, New Orleans has gone 9-0 on the road against clubs that sport losing records, a streak the Pelicans hope to extend against the Wolves (19-43 overall, 8-23 at home). Somewhat surprisingly, despite New Orleans being tied for the 12th-most road victories in the NBA (14-17 record), the Pelicans are not ranked in the top 15 at either end of the floor when measuring only away games. New Orleans is both 18th in offensive efficiency (108.2 points per 100 possessions, via NBA.com) and defensive efficiency (111.5 points allowed per 100) away from home. Those stats partly reflect that the Pelicans have been blown out in some road contests against high-caliber opponents, such as Dallas and Boston.

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